


Feels Like Home

by darkin520



Category: seaQuest
Genre: F/M, Family, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 18:38:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6126340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkin520/pseuds/darkin520
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a plot bunny given to me by murphycat, a series of unfortunate events cause Nathan and Kristin to become stranded on Nathan's island. However, once there, secrets come out, revealing their true feelings for one another. First season. Slightly AU. Two-shot. *COMPLETE*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested, an accompanying fanvid can be found here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqBv0ta81_c

The moment Kristin found out they'd be in the Caribbean, she got excited. Her research university had been begging her to come up with something new, something original. With the latest missions, she hadn't had the time, but  _seaQuest_   was on patrol now. Even if a mission crept up, all she'd need is a few hours...as long as she had the manpower. Of course, with the morning staff meeting just a few minutes away, that might not be such a difficult task.

As she entered the ward room, she noticed the other senior officers already seated. She offered her greetings and had a seat, waiting for the captain to enter and start their meeting. When they were on patrol, the meetings weren't very involved. They were just routine check-ins for each department and rarely lasted more than half an hour.

"Good morning, people," Nathan said as he entered, closing the door behind him. "We'll keep this brief, seeing as we don't have any new business to conduct at the moment. That should come as a relief to most of you."

The others nodded in agreement as Nathan turned to his left. "As usual, we'll start with the commander."

Kristin tried to keep alert, but she couldn't help but feel a bit anxious, since she'd be the last to speak. By the time it was her turn, the others would want to be sprinting towards the door. She sighed, wondering how she was going to keep their attention, but perhaps the idea of any sort of mission would be exciting? She certainly hoped that was the case, turning her attention back to the commander. He was nearly finished, so maybe it would be her turn before she knew it. She waited patiently as each senior officer spoke. Each report had been rather brief, save for one.

"...and the inventory has been going very well," Ben said, looking up and setting the papers in his hand down.

"Thank you very much for that very...thorough report, Lieutenant," Nathan said.

Kristin suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. He'd rambled on for twenty minutes about supplies. Oh, certainly, they were important, but did they really need such a lengthy report? Looking around the table, her colleagues looked like a bunch of zombies, struggling to stay awake. She bit her lip in fear that her hopes of having any help with her mission was very slim.

"As you all know, Mr. Wolenczak is off-duty this week visiting his family, so his report will wait until next week." Nathan then glanced to Kristin. "So, last but not least, that leaves us with you, Doctor."

She gave him a nervous smile and began reading off her injury reports, which were thankfully very short. As she paused to breathe, however, she noticed the others already standing up. She stood and crossed her arms over her chest. "Excuse me? I wasn't quite finished yet."

The others exchanged confused glances as Nathan raised an eyebrow. "You mean there are more injury reports? You seemed like you were finished, so we'd just assumed..."

She shook her head. "No, you were correct. The injuries for this week were significantly less, but I had some other business to discuss. Since I have the floor, I thought you could at least grant me the consideration. Ben rambled on for ages, and none of you were bolting towards the door then."

The others muttered sheepish apologies as they took their seats once again.

"You're right," Nathan told her. "It was unfair of us to assume you were finished, and I hope I speak for everyone when I give you our deepest apologies."

The others nodded their heads, giving her encouraging nods.

Nathan placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go ahead, Doctor."

Kristin took her seat once again and cleared her throat. "Well, since we're in the Caribbean and not too far from the Yucatan Peninsula, I was hoping I'd be able to collect a few samples from the Great Maya Reef."

"That sounds like a fantastic idea," Nathan gushed.

Kristin's brow furrowed as she stared at him a moment, unsure if he was just trying to feign enthusiasm simply to appease her.

The others chimed in as Nathan placed a hand on her shoulder. "See, we support you completely."

She sighed. "That isn't why I mentioned it, though. If I was going to do it alone, I'd have done so. I certainly don't need your permission, do I?"

Nathan's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Well, no, I suppose not."

"You see, I was hoping some of you might be able to accompany me. Since we're on patrol, I'd only need a few of you to help me get enough samples. It wouldn't take more than a few hours...and you'd have a chance to relax a bit. What do you say?"

Not hearing any immediate responses, her heart sank. "Or perhaps it was a horrible idea. I just thought..."

"No, it's not a horrible idea," Katie piped up. "I'll help you, though I'm not exactly sure what to do."

Kristin gave her a smile. "Oh, you don't need to know anything. All we need is a few samples, and that's really not rocket science. It's really quite easy once you get started. Besides, we can only conduct research in certain areas as most of the reef is protected." She looked at the others. "I'd only need about...two or three more?"

Nathan and Ben raised their hands.

"Wonderful." She looked to Chief Crocker. "Could we secure a launch or two for this afternoon then?"

"We can arrange that," the chief replied.

"Then it's set. We'll meet in the launch bay after lunch," Kristin said, excitedly heading towards the lab. She only had a few hours to get the supplies organized. "See you all then."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

By lunchtime, she'd had it all planned. They'd narrow their collecting to the Cancun Channel. Then, they'd spend a couple of hours in Playa del Carmen organizing and cataloging, and they'd be back on the boat by dinner. She frowned as she glanced at the clock. She hadn't much time to finish the final details. She wanted to be sure she had enough collection containers and she had to check the diving equipment; she'd have to forgo lunch, but she was really too excited to eat anyway.

She made her way to the supply room and began to get what she needed. After several minutes, she heard a familiar voice.

"So this is where you're hiding," Nathan said. "I was hoping I'd see you at lunch."

She turned around, giving him a smile and handing him a box full of collection containers. "I decided to skip lunch. I have too much to do yet."

He gave her a frown. "You can't go all afternoon without eating. And why didn't you say anything? I would have helped you."

She shrugged. "I figured you'd have too much to do on the bridge."

He laughed slightly. "Not when it's as dull as a tomb. Why don't you let me handle this, and you go eat something?"

"I'm not really hungry," she replied, struggling to reach another box of containers that was just out of her reach.

Nathan sighed and grabbed it for her. "Captain's orders." He caught her eye. "Please?"

"Oh, all right," she said with a sigh. "I'll eat a little something."

"Thank you," he replied. "I'll walk you there on my way to launch bay."

"Very well, but I won't be long."

"I'll handle the diving equipment, I promise. Just eat and then I'll meet you in launch bay. Don't worry about a thing. You can trust me, you know."

"I do." She smiled. "I just wanted to be sure we had everything we needed."

"We will. Just relax."

Even though she wasn't hungry, by the time they got in the water, she might be. Therefore, she knew her protests were futile. The rest of the walk through the corridors was quiet until they reached the mess hall. She poked her head inside and saw Ben and Katie waving her towards their table.

"I think you're in good hands," Nathan told her.

"Looks that way," she said, turning back to him. "Thank you for your help."

"It's my pleasure. See you soon."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin made a point to eat rather quickly, choosing a small salad and making small talk with Ben and Katie. As soon as she was finished, she politely excused herself and made a beeline for the supply room, only to find Nathan inside, giving her a smug smile.

"I knew you couldn't relax for five minutes."

She glanced at her watch. "I relaxed for ten minutes, so there." She glanced around. "You got all the diving equipment checked?"

He nodded. "And they've already been packed inside the launches. See, you rushed for nothing."

"I suppose I have," she replied. "I know it looks as though I don't trust you, but that's not the case at all. I'm just..."

"A control freak?" he teased.

She playfully slapped his arm. "No, that's not what I was going to say. I just like to be prepared is all. You know that diving isn't all fun and games."

"Of course I do. I promise everything is in proper working order. The containers are already on the launches as well." He held her wrist so she could see her watch. "Now we have a full five minutes before we need to meet the others, so will you please just relax?"

She sighed. "Of course I can. I'm sorry if I've been a bit high strung. It's just that..." She trailed off as she felt Nathan gently rub her shoulders. "Oh, that feels heavenly."

"I know you just want everything to go well, but you've got yourself wound up tighter than a drum."

"My muscles have been a bit stiff over the past few days. I haven't been sleeping very well," she muttered.

"I noticed." He continued to massage the back of her neck and shoulders. "Sometimes, you just need to remember that some things can be left up to chance, and that it's perfectly all right if a few mishaps occur along the way."

"I know that."

He moved to face her, giving her a questioning look.

"I _do_ ," she insisted. "Obviously, in my line of work, things are left up to chance all the time. And excuse me if I don't want any of us running out of oxygen or having a bad rebreather or something. We will have two inexperienced divers with us."

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "That's not what I meant. Of course, you should try to avoid any brushes with death. I'd never expect anything less. But what I meant is that once we get into the water, plans might change. Maybe you'll spend a bit longer explaining what needs to be done, and we'll get back after dinner. That wouldn't be the end of the world, would it?"

"Of course not."

He nodded. "So maybe you don't need to plan every second of this mission? That's all I meant. Do you think I get this worked up about missions?"

She gave a quiet shrug.

He sighed and moved behind her to massage her shoulders again. "Of course I don't...and I don't skip meals either. All I can do is go in with the hope that everything will turn out all right and that the members of my crew will be safe. But I can't do more than that...and neither can you."

After a minute of thought, she nodded. "I promise I'll relax a bit. Your magic hands certainly helped."

"I'm glad to hear it," he said with a smile. "Unfortunately, my magic hands will have to wait; it's time to go."

"I'll just take a rain check," she replied as they walked out of the supply room.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Shortly thereafter, they departed in two launches. Kristin thought they might need the extra room for their samples and didn't want them to have to worry about being cramped in one launch. And after giving Ben and Katie a small crash course on diving and sample collecting, the little mission was going along swimmingly, no pun intended. Once they got on the beach to organize the samples, Kristin couldn't help but smile.

"You look like you're having fun," Nathan commented, bringing her a box of coral samples.

"Indeed," she said with a nod. "And you were absolutely right."

"Not that I don't enjoy hearing that, I'm not sure what you mean. Right about what exactly?"

"That everything would be just fine. We've already been through the hard part. Now the rest is very easy."

"It might be easy, but it's boring," Ben piped up. "At least while we were in the water, there were things to see."

Katie gave him a glare. "If you were going to complain, why did you offer to help then?" She turned to Kristin. "Don't worry, Doc. He won't be making any more idiotic comments like that again." She narrowed her eyes at her ex-husband again. "Will you?"

Kristin waved a hand. "It's perfectly all right, dear." She moved to place a hand on Ben's shoulders. "And believe it or not, I've been more than impressed with him." She motioned towards the containers. "And I am well aware that organizing samples is less than amusing. So since you two have been so good, as long as it's all right with the captain, I'd say we could let you two go back to the boat?" She glanced towards Nathan, looking for confirmation.

"I think that's a good idea. And you two have been so kind as to do all the heavy lifting."

"Really?" Ben asked, unable to hide his grin. "Because, you know, I'd be happy to stay..."

Katie rolled her eyes. "You're a terrible liar, Ben. Don't quit your day job." She turned to Kristin. "I really don't mind helping, though. Sure, it's a bit slower-paced, but..."

Kristin smiled. "You won't hurt my feelings if you admit you're bored, Katie."

"All right," she replied. "I am a little bored."

"Then go back," Nathan told them. "This won't take us very long."

Kristin nodded. "Thank you, both, so much. We'll see you later."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After saying goodbyes to Ben and Katie, Kristin and Nathan worked quietly on the organizing and cataloging. And while they did make a bit of small talk here and there, it was fairly quiet. Not only that, the weather was absolutely lovely. The sun was shining, and although they'd chosen a small section of the beach that wasn't crowded, other beach-goers could be seen, laughing and playing.

Just a few yards away, a little girl, who looked to be around two or three, with dark curls pulled into a ponytail on top of her head and wearing a pink bathing suit with ruffles around the waist came wandering up to them. Kristin couldn't help but smile at her. "Hello, and what's your name?" she asked.

The girl just stared at her a moment with large brown eyes until her mother came and took her by the hand.

"Oh, it's all right; she wasn't bothering us," Kristin told her.

Only the mother shook her head. " _Lo siento._ " Then she picked the child, who was now crying, and carried her back to their spot.

Kristin sighed, staring after them. She wanted to tell the mother it was perfectly all right, but she didn't speak much Spanish. Had it been French, on the other hand, that would have been easy. A hand on her shoulder quickly drew her out of her thoughts, however.

"I see you've made a new friend." Nathan nodded toward the girl and her mother.

"Well, I thought I did, only her mother seems to think she was bothering us." She shrugged. "And I can't really explain otherwise."

"I could help with that, if you'd like." Without waiting for an answer, he walked over and began speaking to the woman.

Kristin couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but the mother smiled at Kristin and gave her a gentle nod, which seemed to mean she now understood. She carefully made her way over to them, moving to stand beside Nathan.

"This is Maria and Marissa," he explained. "Unfortunately, it's Marissa's nap time."

Kristin nodded and held out her hand for Marissa. "Well, perhaps we could play some other time." She then picked up a white shell that had been lying in the sand at her feet. "But perhaps you'd like to take this as a memento?"

Marissa gave her a toothy grin. "Gracias."

Maria repeated the sentiment, and the two of them departed.

"Guess I made a friend after all," Kristin said as they watched them leave. "Thank you for your help. Perhaps you can help me with my Spanish sometime."

"I think we could arrange that, but for now, I suppose we'd better get back to the samples. It's getting late."

She nodded and glanced at her watch, noticing the sun suddenly going dark. She glanced up and saw large, dark clouds overhear. "Uh, Nathan?"

He followed her gaze. "Oh, dear...I guess we'd better pack up and finish up back on the boat."

The two of them hurried back to their samples and began packing as a flash of lightning lit up the sky. Then thunder followed shortly after.

"If we don't hurry, we're going to get wet," Nathan said. "Would you be willing to leave some of these behind?"

"We can't just leave the corals and plants here on the beach," she protested, picking them up and placing them haphazardly into a larger collecting bin. She hadn't time for organization now, and she was careful enough not to harm them.

Meanwhile, Nathan got the bins loaded into the launch. As Kristin was putting the last few samples away, the lightning and thunder continued. Then the rain began. She put the lid on the bin and hurried towards the launch. "I had no idea it was supposed to storm," she muttered as she walked inside.

Nathan gave a shrug. "Still not the end of the world. Nothing horrible happened." He then waited a few moments while Kristin sat down and buckled into her seat. "All set?"

"I think so."

"Home we go then."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once the launch had gone back underwater, the storm became a distant memory. Once again, Nathan had been right. They'd hit a small snag, but it wasn't the end of the world. Kristin took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat. Suddenly, the launch jerked slightly, causing her to sit upright. "What was that?"

"Not to worry," Nathan told her. "The current is just a little unruly due to the storm. Nothing we can't handle though." He leaned forward and hit a few buttons on the control panel. "But there is one small problem."

She bit her lip. "What's that?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he unhooked the radio and spoke. " _SeaQuest_ launch MR-9 requesting your current location."

"Captain?" Commander Ford's voice replied through traces of static.

"Yes, Commander. Would you kindly like to tell me where you've gone off to? We can't seem to find you."

"Ad...al...oyce...ission...hund...iles...way."

Nathan tapped on the radio. "You're breaking up. Can you repeat that?"

All they heard this time was static.

Kristin's heart sank. "Oh, dear."

Nathan, however, didn't seem fazed. "It sounded like the commander said something about a hundred miles. That shouldn't be too hard."

"Yes, but a hundred miles which way?"

Again, he didn't answer her. Instead, he began messing with the controls. "We've got bigger problems than that," he said after a few minutes.

Before she could answer, the launch jerked again. "More rough current?"

Nathan shook his head and hit a button marked for the main ballast.

She swallowed hard and gave him a questioning look.

"We're too heavy. We need to drop some weight," he explained.

"Are you sure this isn't MR-7?" she muttered flatly. "So in other words, we're having mechanical issues?"

"That's one way to put it," he replied, pushing another button to release the battery packs. "Hang on," he said, making a sharp turn.

"Where are we going?"

"My island."

Her mouth fell open. "What? But how are we-"

"My island is much closer than the _seaQuest_...wherever it is. We'll be safe there. I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

Nathan continued to drop weight. Kristin shut her eyes tightly as the unmistakable sound of the survival pod disconnecting from the launch could be heard. Flashbacks from Hurricane Sheila flitted through her mind, though she didn't dare mention it.

"Damn," Nathan muttered, casting a glance her way. "It's not enough. We're still too heavy."

"Perhaps we could-"

Before she could finish, Nathan put the launch on autopilot. "I'm sorry, but I think we're going to have to lose the samples. We're just too heavy."

"I'll help you," she replied, moving to follow him, though she spent most of the time hanging on to the wall, since the current was still unstable and caused the tiny vessel to rock back and forth. And although she tried to mask it, she couldn't help but worry. It wasn't about the samples anymore, but she was concerned about how they'd fare. "Nathan?" she said in between deep breaths. "What...what if we don't make it?"

"That's not going to happen," he said, taking her hand and helping her back into the cockpit. "Can't you feel it? We're beginning to rise again."

She'd been too frightened to notice, but she gave a quiet nod and offered him a weak smile.

Giving her hand a small squeeze, he returned the smile before taking his seat once again. "The island is only about forty miles away. It won't take us long. We'll be fine. I promise."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Forty miles flew by, but it wasn't a very pleasant trip. The closer they got the surface, the more difficult it was for Nathan to keep the launch under control, and they were both tossed around quite a bit. Somehow, the launch made it onto the beach, though, and it took them both a moment to collect themselves as the thunder and lightning continued, the wind howled, and the rain came down in sheets.

Nathan reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "See, I told you we'd make it here in one piece."

"Barely," she replied, having to speak a bit louder than normal because of the rain.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine; perhaps a few bumps and bruises, but nothing fatal." She paused. "You?"

"The same, but I'm fine."

She looked him over with a scrutinizing eye, but she didn't see anything worrying. "Good." She tried looking through the windshield, but the rain made it impossible. "Are we going to go inside or wait a little while for it to let up?"

"I don't think it's going to let up anytime soon. Besides, it'll be getting darker soon. You're going to have to get wet."

She shrugged. "Worse things have happened. I won't melt." She paused, considering what he'd said, and a brow rose. "Wait a minute. Do you mean you're not going in, too?"

"I'll be in shortly, but I need to secure the launch first."

She shook her head. "I'll help you. I'm not completely useless, you know."

"I didn't say that, and I'd never think that way. There's just no reason you need to stay out here longer than necessary. Go inside, and get warm. I'll be in soon."

"No, Nathan. I...I just told you-"

"Kristin, please, _don't_ argue." He put his hands on her shoulders and eyed her carefully. "You're afraid?"

She lowered her gaze. "What if something happens to you? If you slipped and fell, I...I'd never know..."

"That's exactly why I want you to go inside. We're going to hope that doesn't happen, but there's no sense in both of us getting hurt." He took her wrist and looked at her watch. "Give me fifteen minutes. If I'm not back by then, you come and find me. Understand?"

She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment.

"Kris?"

She gave a quiet nod, knowing he was right.

"Good girl," he said. "I promise everything's going to be fine. The quickest way into the house is to use the back deck. The sliding door is unlocked. All right?"

"Y-yes...just hurry, okay?"

He pulled her into his arms, giving her a quick embrace. "I will. Now, go. Get inside as fast as you can."

She cast one last glance towards him before leaving the launch.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once she stepped outside, although she expected to get wet, she wasn't quite prepared for the force of the rain. It knocked her to her to her knees instantly, and she stayed that way for a moment, coughing and sputtering until a tiny voice in her head reminded her what she was supposed to be doing. She scrubbed a hand across her face, pushing her bangs out of her eyes and then forced herself up.

She turned her eyes towards the deck of the house, seeing that it wasn't terribly far. Perhaps twenty yards, give or take a bit. She then realized she heard yelling behind her and turned to see Nathan saying something to her, only with the sound of the rain she could barely hear him. Seeing as he pointed towards the house, however, she gathered he was telling her to get inside. She gave a nod and looked back towards the deck, taking a deep, determined breath before sprinting as quick as she could.

Although she slipped a few times, she managed to stay on her feet, which was a miracle. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she slid the door open, stepping inside. Closing the door behind her, she tried to watch through the door to see how Nathan was doing with the launch. Of course, the rain dotted the window, making it difficult to make out anything, and the dusky haze of the sky didn't provide much light. She searched around in the dim light for a light switch. To her dismay, though, nothing happened when she turned it on.

"Wonderful," she muttered under her breath, too afraid to go much further into the house since a small puddle had already formed at her feet from her soaking wet clothes. _How long had Nathan been out there? s_ he wondered, holding her left wrist up to the sliding door to try to see the watch face in the dim light. Eight minutes had passed since Nathan had talked her about timing him. She sighed, trying to see if she could make anything out through the window again, but all she saw was the black blur of the launch and not much else.

She felt her teeth sink into her bottom lip in worry, debating if she should just go back out and see if she could help him. Or what if he was already hurt, lying on the beach in the rain, unable to get up? She shook her head. Why had she let him force her to go inside without him? No way was she going to wait any longer when time could be very crucial. She placed her hand on the handle when she felt it being forced back. She pulled away, seeing Nathan before her. She threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, thank goodness! I was so worried."

He returned the embrace, laughing softly. "I told you I'd be fine. Besides, it hasn't been fifteen minutes yet."

"But I didn't know if you were in trouble." She motioned to the window. "I couldn't see a thing."

"Well, maybe if you'd have turned the lights on." He reached past her to the light switch on the nearby wall, only to find the same thing she had: that nothing happened. "Damn."

She nodded. "You didn't give me a chance to tell you about that."

"Yes, well, living on the island, I rely on a generator. A number of things could be wrong, but my bet is either it's finally on its last legs or it might have been struck by lightning. And I hope you don't mind, but I'm not keen on going back out in this storm to see if I can assess the problem."

"Not at all," she said. "At least we have shelter."

"We'll have more than that. Hang on."

Kristin watched as he walked to a nearby hallway. She then heard the creak of a door and some rummaging. Then came a small crash and a rainbow of curse words from Nathan's mouth. "Are...are you all right?"

"Sorry," he called after a minute. "Y-yes, I'm fine."

Then after a moment later, Kristin saw a beam of light coming towards her with Nathan following close behind.

"I have a little kit packed for just such an emergency with flashlights, candles, and even a few lanterns. I just forgot that I had it under a stack of boxes, and I had a little trouble." He handed her a flashlight. "Why are you still standing there? You are allowed to move from that one spot, you know."

Taking the flashlight from him, she gave a shrug. "Because I don't want to get your floor all wet."

He waved a hand. "I don't care about that. Unfortunately, no electricity means no clothes dryer at the moment, but I have another solution." He ushered her towards the stairs. "At least have a seat, and I'll be right back. I'll get you something dry, okay?"

She did as she was told and took a seat on the bottom step, grateful he'd made the suggestion to get her something dry since her sopping wet clothes had made her start to shiver. She hugged herself, trying to keep warm, and patiently waited for Nathan to return.

Shortly thereafter, she heard soft footfalls on the stairs. "It isn't anything fancy, but hopefully, it will do."

She stood and turned to face him, noticing he'd already changed into a pair of jeans and a denim shirt. She reached out to take the pair of jeans and the sweatshirt he was holding out to her.

"I know they're going to be a little big, but..." he trailed off, handing her a belt. "I don't have a lot of Carol's things anymore, and what I do have is packed away."

"It's perfectly all right. This...this will be fine."

He gave her a weak smile and pointed her down a hallway just past the stairs. "The bathroom is the last door on the right. You'll find plenty of towels in the linen cabinet right behind the door...and go ahead and hang your wet things over the shower curtain rod. Take all the time you need."

"Thank you," she muttered before turning on her flashlight and making her way in the direction he'd told her.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once inside the bathroom, she closed the door behind her and stripped off her wet garments. She then took a towel from the closet and wrapped it around her body in an effort to get warm, since she'd still found herself shivering. She then picked up her wet clothes and hung them over the shower curtain rod, as Nathan suggested.

It was then she realized she was still trembling. Was she really that cold? She didn't think so. Although her wet clothes had caused her discomfort, it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. She'd faced many a cold London winter in her past. Surely, she could handle a tropical rain storm. She took the towel and rubbed it over her skin to try to soak up any of the remaining dampness before dressing again.

First she slipped on the sweatshirt. He'd chosen a heavy one for her, and she was grateful; the moment she slipped it on, since she felt her goosebumps go away. It was indeed a bit large; she had to roll the sleeves up, and it hung past her hips, but it was far better than staying in her soaking wet clothes. She then pulled on the jeans and secured them with the belt as they would have fallen off her waist. Lastly, she pulled on the warm woolen socks he'd given her, and she indeed began to feel warmer. But upon feeling another tremor rise up from her bones, she frowned. Why was she still shivering?

She clasped her hands together. They felt warm...much warmer than they had before, so she couldn't still be cold. She didn't _feel_ cold. She reached out for the flashlight and realized her hand was shaking. _Shaking, not shivering._ But _why_ was she shaking? Was she sick? She took a few deep breaths as she stared at her reflection in the mirror with the aid of the flashlight.

She looked seemingly fine. Well, her hair was still damp, but her face looked normal. Her skin wasn't pale, and her eyes looked bright and alert. Suddenly, her brows knitted together, realizing she was hearing a loud thumping sound. She listened intently for several seconds before bringing a hand to her chest. It was the sound of her own heart, she finally realized. But why in the world...? She had no reason to be afraid, did she? Granted, she'd been worried about Nathan, but now...they were seemingly safe. There was no reason to...

Her breath suddenly caught in her throat at the thought of him as a small voice in the back of her mind fought its way to the surface...and then it hit her like a ton of bricks.

She shook her head, reaching out to grip both sides of the vanity for support. There was no way she could... "This isn't the right time," she whispered. "Please, don't..."

She had to stop and take pause for a moment. Who in the world was she talking to? _Your heart,_ the tiny voice replied. And sadly, she had to admit she'd known that answer all along.

Her breath came in sudden, short pants at the realization. Ever since she'd laid eyes on Nathan, she'd felt something deep in her heart for him. At first, she'd thought it was just a very special friendship, but it was shortly thereafter she'd realized it was love. She was in love with him, but she'd never tell him. How could she? The poor man was still mourning over his wife, for goodness sake. But the fact she was alone with him suddenly made her nervous.

Oh, she'd been alone with him before on the boat, but that was different. That was work-related. And even on the _seaQuest_ , they were never _really_ alone. There were eyes and ears everywhere, so to speak. Even on the beach, they hadn't been completely alone. But now... What if she couldn't control herself? What if...what if she said something she regretted?

She shut her eyes tightly and took several breaths. "You'd better keep yourself in check," she muttered. "You can't... For God's sake, he just mentioned how he couldn't bring you any of his dead wife's clothing, and you're sitting in here, pining away for him like some lovesick school girl." She bit her lip, willing the tiny voice to answer back. When she heard nothing, she was about to scold it when a knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts, causing her to cry out.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I just wanted to be sure you were okay. You've been in there a while," came Nathan's voice from the other side of the door.

She took a few more deep breaths before answering. "It's all right...and I'm fine. I just...I'm having trouble getting the jeans to stay up," she offered lamely.

She could hear a slight laugh in his voice. "Let me go see if I can find something smaller."

"It's...it's all right," she replied. "I think I've got it now. Um, I'll be out shortly."

"You sure? I mean, it's not a problem for me to go check..."

"It's fine; I promise. I just want to freshen up a bit."

"There's no rush; I just wanted to be sure you were okay. See you soon."

As soon as she heard his departing steps, she breathed a small sigh of relief and leaned up against the door. It was apparent she couldn't stay in the bathroom all night, though she almost wished she had an excuse to do so. But obviously, that wasn't going to happen, and if she was any longer, Nathan was just going to ask more questions. She couldn't have that.

She picked up her flashlight and swallowed hard, realizing it was now or never, and opened the door.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As soon as she stepped into the hallway, she was consumed by an orange-red glow that caused the shadows on the wall to dance;Nathan had obviously made a fire in the fireplace.

As soon as he heard the creak of the floor, he went to take her hand. "Come sit down and warm up," he told her.

On the floor in front of the fireplace, he'd set up blankets for them. He picked one up and placed it over her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said, taking a seat on front of the fire. "This is lovely."

He gave her a small grin. "Well, this isn't the first time I've been without electricity here. I know a few tricks." He paused to put another log on the fire. "And after Carol passed...well, I got pretty used to not having it at all. I had my vid-link disconnected, didn't speak with anyone. I'm sure you can understand. Sometimes it's much easier to hide from the real world."

"I can certainly see the appeal," she said quietly, focusing her gaze on the fire so she wouldn't need to look him in the eye. "I think we all need to hide sometimes."

"Maybe, but there are days I'm so grateful I don't feel the need anymore. I'd hate to think of a world without you and the rest of the crew."

She felt his gaze bore into her, and shut her eyes, wishing she could disappear. Did he have to keep giving her that look...that look that made her heart melt? It took everything in her power not to look at him. Instead, she gave a quiet nod and pretended to pick some lint off the blanket. Then a strange sound filled the air. It took her a moment to realize it was her own stomach growling. She felt her cheeks grow warm. "Excuse me." She self-consciously wrapped her arms around her mid-section.

He waved a hand. "It's past dinnertime, so there's no reason to apologize...though I'm guessing you didn't have a very big lunch."

She shook her head. "I wasn't very hungry, remember?"

"Not to worry. A Navy man knows how to survive in harsh conditions." He motioned to the still-raging storm out the window. "This is child's play compared to some of the things I've seen. Although I won't be able to make you a gourmet meal, I keep plenty of canned food and bottled water for emergencies. I'll go see what I can rustle up." He picked up his flashlight and started towards the kitchen. "You'll be fine, won't you?"

"Of course."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once alone, Kristin was able to relax a bit. At least she was no longer trembling. And really, she was being silly. They'd probably only be stranded until the storm passed. She glanced towards the window, where the rain still pounded against the glass. Surely, Nathan would know how to contact the _seaQuest_. If push came to shove, they could use Morse code, even. At least they wouldn't have to fight a hurricane this time. Otherwise, she was sure they could find a vid-phone on the mainland. So, really, why was she so nervous? They were simply two friends who'd gotten stuck in an unfortunate situation. Being alone with him didn't mean...

"Well, how about chicken stew and vegetables?" Nathan asked as he walked back into the living room, arms laden with cooking supplies and some bottled water. "I know it might not sound particularly appetizing, but I'm pretty talented with the spices. When I'm done, you wouldn't know it came out of a can."

"I don't think it matters. I'm so hungry, I could eat the can," she quipped. She turned her attention back to the fire. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Not really. You just relax." He passed her a bottle of water and then opened the cans with a manual can opener and poured them into a pot. Then he added spices and vegetables and carefully placed the pot over the fire to warm.

Several long minutes passed as Nathan tended to the stew, but he finally turned to look at her. "You haven't fallen asleep, have you?"

She offered him a small smile. "No."

"You're awfully quiet." He eyed her carefully. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "I'm fine," she replied and quickly turned her gaze back to the fire and trying to ignore the look he was giving her.

He looked at her a bit longer before turning back to the pot of stew. "Perhaps you'll feel more talkative after dinner."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

A short time later, Nathan portioned the stew into two bowls and passed one to Kristin.

"Thank you," she replied, though she couldn't help but notice he was staring at her again, quite intently this time. She couldn't ignore it any longer. "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head and gave her a smile. "I just wanted to see what you think of the food. Take a bite."

"Oh..." she replied, picking up her spoon and bringing it to her mouth. "Mmm, this is...delicious."

"I'm glad you like it," he told her, digging into his own bowl. "Really hits the spot, doesn't it?"

"Indeed," she replied with a nod. "I'm also a bit jealous that you can cook."

A brow rose. "You can't?"

"Not like this. I can make some things, but mostly, I just burn them."

"As soon as we get back to the _seaQuest_ , we'll plan some cooking lessons...that is, if you're interested," he offered.

"That might be nice," she replied, turning her attention back to her dinner.

Nathan gave a nod and then did the same, and save for the sound of the storm outside, a silence fell around them.

For Kristin, however, it wasn't particularly comfortable. Although she tried to focus on the meal and the warmth of the fire, she felt uneasy. The intangible electric spark of something needing to be said yet hidden lay just beyond her grasp. She shifted nervously under Nathan's scrutinizing gaze. A sudden thought occurred to her. _Could he feel it too?_ She shut her eyes tightly, hoping that wasn't the case. Surely, he couldn't possibly know what lay deep within her heart...could he? She bit her lip, trying to think of something to say, since she could see the look of concern gracing his face out of the corner of her eye.

She brought a bit of food to her mouth. _Say something about the food,_ that tiny voice urged. "It's...it's only too bad you couldn't give the cook on the boat a tip or two. While the government is so adamant we eat healthy, they seem to overlook taste." She breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully, he'd stop giving her that look.

He nodded. "I think we-"

At that moment, a booming clap of thunder shook the windows, causing Kristin to cry out. Immediately, Nathan's arm was around her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

"It's all right," he soothed. "It was just a little thunder." He rubbed her back gently. "I didn't realize you were afraid of storms."

"I'm not," she replied. "I just didn't expect..." She trailed off, feeling a tremor through her body again.

Nathan frowned. "Why didn't you tell me you were still cold?" He picked up another blanket and began covering her up when she put out a hand.

"I...I'm not cold," she protested with a shake of her head.

His eyebrows knitted together. "But you're shivering..."

She hugged herself, feeling another tremor wrack her body. "Just nerves, I suppose."

"From the thunder?" He tightened his hold on her shoulders to help calm her. "It's nothing to-"

She set her bowl aside and stood, wriggling out of his arms. "It's not the thunder." She moved towards the window, pretending to watch the rain and crossing her arms over her chest. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt Nathan's hand on her shoulder again. She shrugged him away. "I'm fine. You needn't fawn over me."

"You're not fine," he protested. "I can still feel how tense you are...and the shaking..."

She didn't offer a reply, still facing the window.

"Kris?" He placed a gentle hand on the small of her back. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

"I..." She took a ragged breath. "It's...it's nothing. I'm...just tired."

She could see the doubtful look he gave her out of the corner of her eye. "Because I know I always get shaky when I'm tired too."

Kristin could easily note the sarcasm in his voice, and she let out a sigh. "It's not quite like that."

"Oh, really? How is it then? Because there's one thing I've always valued in our friendship and that's the fact we don't keep secrets from one another." He turned towards the fireplace. "I guess I'll just take care of these dirty dishes while I give you some time to think about that."

Hearing his frustrated footsteps retreat from the room, she felt a stab of guilt, causing her to wince and making tears spring to her eyes.

 _That went well,_ that tiny voice said.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. "You're not helping," she muttered back, her voice wavering as she tried to blink back the tears. Another shudder went through her, and she knelt down in front of the fire again, hugging her knees to her chest.

After several minutes, she heard that voice again. _You know you're going to have to tell him now, don't you?_

She sighed, casting a glance towards the kitchen. She could hear Nathan banging a few things around. He obviously wasn't pleased with her, and she couldn't say she didn't blame him. If she was in his shoes, she'd be frustrated if she knew a friend was lying to her. She swallowed hard and forced herself up, walking towards the kitchen and pausing to stand in the doorway. She watched him for a few minutes.

Nathan was muttering under his breath as he washed the few dishes, using the light of a candle. After a few minutes, she quietly cleared her throat, causing him to turn around.

"Are you upset with me?" she asked quietly.

"Shouldn't I be?" he bit out.

She jumped slightly at his retort. "I suppose I don't blame you."

He sighed. "I just wish you'd be honest with me."

"I am sorry." She took a few careful steps into the room. "I'm just dealing with some things right now, and I'm not even sure I know what's going on."

Nathan finished towel-drying the dishes before putting them back in their rightful places before approaching her. "Whatever it is, though, it's scaring you." It wasn't a question, but rather an observation.

"I... I don't..." She had to turn her eyes away, trying to avoid his gaze.

"What are you afraid of?"

She could hear the desperation in his voice, but it only heightened Kristin's nervousness. Her heart began to speed up as she looked towards the doorway, wondering if she could just slip away without his protest. Of course, she knew that would never work. A cold sweat washed over her as she shut her eyes tightly, trying to slow her racing heart.

"Kris?" He placed a hand on her shoulders again. "Are you all right?"

She suddenly felt faint; she desperately wanted to escape, to get away. "I... I think I need to lie down."

His eyebrows knitted together as he gave her a questioning look, but he then nodded. "You're not feeling well?"

She shook her head. "P-please..."

He put an arm of support around her waist and carefully led her back to the living room, helping her to lie down on the sofa. He then placed a blanket over her and sat down on the floor next to her.

She hadn't expected him to sit right next to her, but it didn't worry her the way it had before. At least she could close her eyes and pretend to sleep, and he wouldn't know the difference. And when she awoke, she could just say she was feeling much better. She began to relax as the plan seemed foolproof.

 _But you'd be lying,_ that voice protested. _Do you really want to keep living a lie?_

If it were any other situation, the answer would be no. She hated lies, but in this situation, she decided discretion was the only option. She would never want him to feel pressured or bring up a situation she thought he wasn't ready for. Besides, he'd had ample opportunity to tell her if he'd felt the same way...and he never had. She let out a light snore as she felt Nathan take her hand in his.

He rubbed it softly and moved his other hand to her forehead, checking her temperature. A sigh escaped his lips as he pushed her hair back off her face. "I do wish you would have told me you weren't feeling well...but you don't have a temperature. I guess that's a good sign." He sighed again. "I know this isn't what you planned. It...it's not even what I planned. I was hoping..."

 _What?_ both her head and her heart wondered at once.

He swallowed hard. "After Carol, I...I never thought I'd meet anyone who could fill the empty void she left in my heart...that was until I met you." He snorted. "Of course, you have no way of knowing that because I've been too scared to tell you. I mean, it hasn't exactly been the right time, but I think you can feel it. I...I see the way you look at me. I think... I was hoping I could say it here, but you won't let me get close to you. Then again, maybe I'm wrong. It's been ages since I've even thought about dating. I don't know how it works anymore." He gently kissed her hand. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I...I love you, and I'm hoping one day, I can say it to you while you're conscious."

Kristin heart did a flip, and tears sprung to her eyes. She felt her nervousness wash away as she moved to sit up.

Nathan turned to her, a look of surprise on his face. "Kris? Are you-" He paused. "You're crying. What's wrong?"

She shook her head and brushed them away with her hand. "Happy tears," she said quietly.

"What?"

Without a word, she gently tugged on his arm, motioning for him to sit next to her.

When he obliged, she laced her fingers with his and quietly cleared her throat. "I have a confession to make."

"Okay..."

"I wasn't asleep." She tried to look into his eyes, but now it was his turn to look away.

"Kris, I didn't quite-"

She brought a hand to his chin and gently urged him to meet her gaze again. "You don't need to make excuses. I pretended to be asleep because I...was afraid of you."

His eyes widened. "Of...of me?"

Before he could ask her to elaborate, she continued, "Nathan, I...I have had feelings for you for a long time, but I didn't think it was appropriate to act on them. I wasn't even sure you were ready..." She sighed. "But the moment we became stranded here, I... I let my imagination run away with me, and I thought it would be better to avoid the truth rather than face it."

Nathan was quiet for several minutes, and she started to panic again, taking his silence as a bad sign...that was until he brought her hand to his lips again, giving it a gentle kiss. "I...I don't think I've ever been happier to hear the truth."

She felt her cheeks grow warm. "I...I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Likewise, but I'm not sorry we ended up here. If we hadn't, we'd still be tiptoeing around one another."

She smiled softly. "Be that as it may, I...I'm not so sure I'm ready to rush in."

"Neither am I," he confirmed. "I prefer to take things slowly."

"But I wouldn't protest if you wanted to steal a kiss," she said quietly, her cheeks turning an even darker shade of pink.

He smiled and brought pulled her into his arms. "I'm happy to oblige, as long as we don't call it stealing."

"Sharing?" she offered.

"That's better," he said, bringing his lips to hers as they kissed passionately for several seconds before the need for air became paramount.

She took a deep breath before snuggling into his chest. "I guess you were right after all."

"What about?"

"Things can be better unplanned."

"Indeed," he said with a soft laugh. "You're the best unplanned surprise I could have gotten."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you too."


End file.
